More

#CBSLAHelps:On Thursday, CBSLA is teaming up with the American Red Cross to raise money for victims of the Southern California firestorms. Donate now or text CBSLAHELPS to 75759 to learn more | Share Your Story

LAUSD Coach Gets 105 Years For Molesting Young Girls

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) – A 44-year-old San Fernando man who was convicted of molesting seven girls while a coach with the Los Angeles Unified School District will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Ronnie Lee Roman was sentenced Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court to 105 years to life in state prison, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office reports. It was the maximum sentence he could have received.

On June 7, Roman was found guilty of molesting seven girls, ages 8 to 11, while an LAUSD employee. The abuse, which dated as far back as 2002, happened while Roman worked as a coach at Cahuenga Elementary and Vine Elementary schools.

Ronnie Lee Roman was found guilty in June of molesting seven girls.

Six of the assaults occurred on school grounds and the seventh took place in the victim’s home, prosecutors said.

Jurors deliberated for more than a day before finding Roman guilty of seven counts of lewd act on a child, along with special allegations of multiple victims.

The DA’s office erroneously reported Tuesday that Roman was working for the L.A.’s Best after-school program when the crimes occurred. Roman has never been an employee of L.A.’s Best.

Finally, a sentencing that is fitting of the crime! I applaud this Prosecutor! Now, who is going to hold those schools accountable for letting this happen? All those victims for all those years means they weren’t doing their job. Parents – you must demand that every single place you leave your child in the care of others has trained their staff on child sexual abuse prevention. I guarantee that most of them have not. It is NOT the same as Mandated Reporter training.

All schools and youth-serving organizations should be required to train their staff and volunteers on child sexual abuse prevention. There are no excuses. It does NOT cost a lot of time or money. Insurance companies need to demand their clients have this training as well because they are all at risk of a lawsuit if they are not trained.